does diaper layering work?

This is something I've always wondered. I've done it to get the tight diaper feel, but I've never wet it enough that the first diaper started leaking. Does it really make it more absorbent, it seems to me like it would just go through the leg guards and not into the actual diaper. Or is i just used to get a tight feeling and nothing beyond that.

I mostly do the layering for the thick feeling, i have found that it does soak thought a bit, however you are right it can just leak at the legs. I think this happens because the inner layer gets saturated, so it can't handle a big soaking/flood

Layering can be helpful depending on the types of diapers. Before I had access to good quality adult diapers, I would use a Huggies inside a Depend or use two Depends to get adequate absorption. If you cut the slits right and do not wet too heavily at once it worked well for me. The only downside is that when you slice the back of the first diaper then wet, the sap tends to spill out into the second diaper which can be quite a mess when you go to change if you are not careful. If you can get high quality diapers, you shouldn't have to layer. Cloth is a great option if you are looking for a thick diaper. You can layer up a few and get the absorbency and thickness you want. Plastic pants over your disposable or cloth lined plastic pants would help with any leaks.

I'm kind of surprised that none of the diaper makers have thought to make a double-stuffed diaper. With all the talk of layering I see, there's clearly a market for people who want thicker and more absorbent diapers.

If you don't wear tight diapers possible to add one or two pads (or dish washing sponges) to soak up the initial flow.
As with any diapered arrangement when the diaper nears capacity - NOT WISE TO SIT and squish out the rest !
You do have to know your limitations.
As Bear05 noted above careful about how you slit the first (inner) diaper otherwise the mushy gel goes everywhere and is hard to clean up and contain.
Better to just pin prick a generous pattern in the bottom of that first diaper no cuts !
And of course it goes without further remarks the waterproof diaper cover is a must with generous coverage and tight leg bands.

In that I think the most reasonable purpose of layering is to give the feeling of a thick diaper, I'd say it works. The tricky part is that it can result in deceptively low capacity if it isn't done right.

I love layering my disposable diapers. I have never had any leak problems from the layering process, they leak when they are full. I usually cut slits almost from front to back. I typically do this with store bought brands. Booster pads work well too. For me it is not really an added capacity that I'm looking for, it really doesn't bother me to leak, I'm layer my diapers for the thickness factor. I enjoy wearing thick disposables, as to not be able to hide the fact I'm diapered. But that is just me. The thickest I have home is 3 Abena L4's with three boosters, I was enjoying a bunch of adult beverages, which I no longer do, and it took 7 hours for them to leak.